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[flamekthunder]

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[starshower]

[A fairy...!?

A cat she could handle ignoring, even one of the dogs if she were so inclined, but a fairy!? That's a whole other story, and she only clings to him tighter with one hand, the other hurriedly pulling her shirt back down from where it had bundled around her chest, trying to keep her movements inconspicuous, as if she's being watched. Already, she can feel her own frustration mounting, that ache between her legs a bit too strong for her liking, but she needs to rein it in for now.]

Sh-shouldn't we go check it out? Just to make sure...?

[flamekthunder]

I could freeze that entire floor if you wish.

[He is very frustrated right now, wanting nothing more than to continue what they were doing.

Specifically, her.

And as if to make it clear his words are not an empty bluff the sound of ice crackling overhead can be heard.]

[starshower]

No...!

[Her protest comes immediately and gently when she hears the sound of ice crackling upstairs. Whether it's a fairy, or a cat, or even a mouse, she gives him a shake of her head before she presses her forehead to his. She can feel both of their agony buzzing in the air around them and making her skin tingle, that fire inside her dimming but never quite fading. She knows how he feels because she feels the same, but—]

If it's an animal, I don't want to hurt it.

[Even if it's an annoying, loitering fairy.]

[flamekthunder]

It would just be enough to scare it....

[He's still clearly irritated...but he just sighs, closing his eyes briefly as he starts to pull her pants back up.]

All right, fine.

[THE MOOD IS CLEARLY RUINED.]

[starshower]

[She appreciates the help, and with her arms around his shoulders helping to anchor and steady her, Tifa slips off the counter so that he can help tug her pants the rest of the way up. Her knees are a bit wobbly, her head still a bit foggy, but she glances around as if making sure that no one has seen their... indecency.

And when she catches sight of her nail marks on the counter, she blushes furiously and tries to shuffle away before her pants have even been buttoned up and Eustace can take notice of them...

But before she goes any further, she pauses and looks back at him with a visibly disappointed pout to her lips.]

... You'd better make it up to me later, though.

[flamekthunder]

[Fortunately for her, he's once again glaring up at the ceiling, already devising ways of getting rid of the interruption...

But then he hears her move and at her words he just smirks. In one long stride, he reaches her, hand grabbing her hips as he presses up against her, lips by her ear.]

I'll make it so you won't notice anything else.

[Just him.

Whether he means he plans on clearing the area or that she'll be too busy gasping his name or both, she'll find out later.

For now, there's a pest that needs to be taken care of, so after one last nip at her ear he steps back to start walking to the door that leads upstairs, purposefully going ahead to let her cool herself.]

[starshower]

[With how close he is and with how warm she becomes, it wouldn't be surprising if he felt the fire surge within her, that heat crawling across her skin all the way to where he nips at her ear. She stands there, frozen on the spot, as his words sink deep into her belly like a rock, but before she can say or do anything, he saunters ahead in a way like he knows exactly what he just did to her.

Tifa does need that moment to cool off, her arms wrapping around herself as she tries to shake off that thrill of lust that's still clinging to her skin before she jogs off after him. Her footsteps only stop when she realizes that her pants are still undone, and with an embarrassed gasp from behind him, she quickly buttons them up.]

What... do you think it is?

[Her voice has gone up several pitches higher than normal, she's noticed, as they reach the bottom of the stairs, and when she looks up to the second floor, she clears her throat.

And as if to answer, there's more clattering coming from one of the rooms.]

[flamekthunder]

[He waits for her to catch up, though with the pent up frustration he feels, he hopes it's something he can vent on and kill. However, he had left Flamek and his holster back by the counter, believing whatever it is, they could handle it on their own, with dreamotion if needed.

Taking a step onto the stairs once Tifa reaches him, he frowns as his ears remain pricked forward, carefully listening the steps. From the weight to the pacing, he can gather a little bit more of their "guest."]

It's an animal, four legs, small but agile. I'm still betting it's a cat with the way it's moving. Reminds me of Clover.

[starshower]

[She listens carefully for the sounds, though the footsteps have grown quiet again, and as they ascend the stairs, she clings to him, her fingers taking the back of his shirt in between them as she stays close... not out of fear, but embarrassment at having been interrupted at all. When they reach the landing, it's completely silent, but she eyes the three doors on the other side of the upper terrace.]

Sounded like it came from the one on the left.

[Which was, at the moment, just a storage space for old things that had been there before them that will need sorting eventually. Whatever it is, it found a pretty good place to hide.

Slowly, she steps out from behind him and tiptoes quietly so as not to spook whatever it is, but she'll let Eustace open the door.]

[flamekthunder]

[He'll just nod before silently advancing towards the door. Slowly he reaches out to grab the door handle, and after giving Tifa one final look, he slowly opens the door.

Unfortunately, it's not a quiet opening, the door creaking for old age and much needed oil. Still, nothing seems to immediately jump out.]

[starshower]

[While he slowly opens the door, she prepares herself to grab whatever it is should it leap out of hiding and try to escape, but as they stand in the fully revealed doorway now, they're met with more silence and stillness at first. The room is dusty and a bit cluttered, filled with things that she knows she won't need, so there are plenty of spaces for something small to hide.

Carefully, Tifa steps around him and further into the room to start looking around, peeking underneath shelves and around boxes until—]

Huh!?

[She gasps out loud when there's a clatter behind her, and something small and striped dashes out from underneath another tall shelf to hide behind some boxes.]

[flamekthunder]

[It was too much of a blur for him to see the details, but he can definitely say for sure—]

It's a cat.

[So that should at least bring Tifa some reassurance. ...How to catch it, though.]

...Do you want to try and catch it or just leave a window open for it to leave on its own?

[starshower]

[Tifa only looks at him silently, surprise written clear across her face, but she doesn't say a word. Not at first, anyway. Her eyes follow in the direction it had skittered off in, towards a pile of boxes in the corner of the room. She can hear scraping and shuffling, followed by the tiniest mewl.]

Neither. I think it's just scared. And small.

[She whispers it as she comes up beside him again.]

There anything we could give it? A toy... or some food?

[flamekthunder]

[He's just going to stare at her.]

Tifa, I'm saying this now, but we're not taking in another cat.

[His treatment between dogs and cats is like night and day!! Well of course he doesn't mind cats and adores Clover, but guarantee if it was a puppy he'd be all over it.

Of course this cat being the reason why they were interrupted is not doing itself any favors—]

[starshower]

[She shoots him a woefully tired look because she knows that if this were a dog, he would be saying the complete opposite...!!!]

I didn't say we were. I just...

[Her eyes linger on the boxes where it's hiding, and likely shivering in fear.]

I don't want to scare the poor thing away if this is its home... We should at least try to get it out of the room. Can't stay locked up in here forever.

[flamekthunder]

[A flat stare before he sighs and his eyes go to where the cat (kitten?) is still hiding.]

Even so, do we have anything? We didn't bring anything... But there are a few shops nearby.

[starshower]

[She sees that look and she chooses to ignore it.]

Hmm...

[She taps a finger thoughtfully on her chin. She doesn't want to go out to the shops to find something and leave this cat in here alone, so...]

Oh! [Her eyes light up.] Your quill might work...

[flamekthunder]

My quill...?

[Just a quizzical look before he recalls Clover's many feather toys.]

No.

[starshower]

I won't let it get wrecked, I promise.

[If Tifa had brought hers, she'd use her own, but she fixes him with those pleading dog eyes she always tries on him.]

Just going to wiggle it around to see if I can get it to come out on its own.

[flamekthunder]

[But...his quill...

He actually likes it...

...

.....

UugghGHhghghgh like he could actually say no to her eyes. Still, there's definitely some hesitation as he conjures the quill into his hand and sighs.]

[starshower]

[She thanks him with a grateful smile before she takes it from him and moves closer to the tower of boxes, and as she looks over them, a frown finds its way into her features when she realizes how dangerous this room is for a small cat. They're hardy and quick, sure, but one misstep and it could send the boxes or things on the shelf tumbling down over it, and how long would it have taken either of them to notice?

With a sigh to shake those thoughts way, she kneels down near the wall and lowers the feather to the ground. She can see small green eyes glowing as well as something pink shimmering behind it... curious, but her first priority is getting it out of there and taking it someplace safe.]

Hello...

[Her voice is quiet and sweet as she starts to wiggle the feather around, and she can see its eyes darken as its pupils dilate at the sight of movement, but Tifa can tell it's still shivering in fear.]

It's alright. We wanna take you somewhere safer, okay? And get you some food.

[It moves forward a little, and she can finally make out just how small it is. About as small as Clover was when Eustace brought her to Tifa. Maybe even smaller.]

Eustace... it's just a kitten.

[And as she looks at him over her shoulder, she misses the paw that darts out from behind the boxes to try catching the feather.]

[flamekthunder]

[Kitten... He loosens up a little at that. maybe he's the reason it's still hiding—

BUT TIFA HIS QUILL.]

Hey, watch it!

[starshower]

Hm?

[Before she can see much of it, the little paw dashes away again, but it's moved close enough to the edge of the shadows now that she can see its interest in the feather, as well as...]

Wings?

[As soon as she voices the discovery, it leaps out from behind the boxes in an attempt to catch the feather, but Tifa pulls it away just in time that it misses and it rolls around on the floor instead.]

What... is this? Some kind of fairy... cat?

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace also stares...and is a little more wary than before, but also curious.]

Given the nature of this world, I more or less suspected it would be.

[Not many "normal" animals around here, that's for sure.]

However that means we need to treat it with more caution as we don't know what kind of magic it could use, if at all.

[starshower]

Seems pretty harmless right now.

[It rights itself and rolls back onto all fours and stares at the two of them just as warily as Eustace eyes it, but its mewl when its eyes land back on the feather is so small that it squeezes gently at Tifa's heart.

... Not taking in anymore cats. Not taking in anymore cats. Not taking... in anymore... cats...

And then it leaps up to catch the feather that Tifa is waving around. It doesn't catch it, but Tifa looks back over her shoulder at Eustace with pleading eyes—]